Sensor device, sensor module, imaging system and method to operate a sensor device

1. A sensor device, comprising: an array of photodetectors, a readout circuit connected to the array of photodetectors and providing dedicated readout paths for each photodetector in the array, respectively, further comprising at least one control terminal, an array of time-to-digital converters electrically connected to converter output terminals of the readout circuit; wherein depending on a control signal to be applied at the at least one control terminal, the readout circuit is arranged to electrically connect through the readout paths of photodetectors of a first subarray to the converter output terminals of the readout circuit, respectively, thereby rendering the photodetectors of the first subarray active and photodetectors of a second subarray inactive, the readout circuit comprises a plurality of input terminals, wherein each photodetector is connected to a dedicated input terminal of the plurality of input terminals, the readout circuit comprises a plurality of output terminals, wherein the plurality of output terminals comprises the converter output terminals; wherein: in a ground configuration, the readout paths electrically connect the input terminal dedicated to a photodetector of the array of photodetectors to a dedicated output terminal. respectively, in a calibrated configuration, the readout paths electrically connect the input terminal dedicated to a photodetector of the array of photodetectors to a neighboring output terminal different from the dedicated output terminal in the ground configuration, respectively, and the control signal determines whether the sensor device is in the ground configuration or in the calibrated configuration.

2. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the readout circuit is arranged to electrically connect through the readout paths of photodetectors of the first subarray to the output terminals of the readout circuit all at a time, such that a number of photodetectors in the first subarray may correspond to a number of time-to-digital converters in the array of time-to-digital converters.

3. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the photodetectors of the array of photodetectors are arranged in rows and/or columns, in the ground configuration, the first subarray is determined by photodetectors located in a center of the array of photodetectors, and in the calibrated configuration, the first subarray is shifted along the rows and/or columns such that the first subarray is determined by photodetectors located with an offset relative to the center of the array of photodetectors.

4. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the readout circuit is arranged to shift the first subarray along the rows and/or columns by a same number of row positions and/or column positions, and the shifting involves routing the readout paths between the input terminals and the output terminals.

5. The sensor device according to claim 3, wherein the readout circuit comprises: at least one row shifting unit arranged to shift the first subarray along the rows relative to the array of photodetectors, and/or at least one column shifting unit arranged to shift the first subarray along the columns relative to the array of photodetectors, wherein the at least one column shifting unit is connected in series with the at least one row shifting unit.

6. The sensor device according to claim 5, wherein the readout circuit comprises: a cascade of row shifting units connected in series, wherein each row shifting unit in the cascade is arranged to shift the first subarray along the rows relative to the array of photodetectors by a different number of row positions, and/or a cascade of column shifting units connected in series, wherein each column shifting unit in the cascade is arranged to shift the first subarray along the columns relative to the array of photodetectors by a different number of column positions.

7. The sensor device according to claim 5, wherein the at least one row shifting unit and/or the at least one column shifting unit comprise a number of shifter circuits and a same number of selector circuits, wherein the number of shifter circuits and the number of selector circuits correspond to the number of photodetectors in a row and/or in a column.

8. The sensor device according to claim 7, wherein the shifter circuits are arranged to split the readout paths into a branch of electrical connection lines, the electrical connection lines connect the input terminal dedicated to a photodetector of the array of photodetectors to the dedicated output terminal and to at least one neighboring output terminal different from the dedicated output terminal, respectively, and wherein the electrical connection lines are selectable by means of the control signal, such that one of the electrical connection lines is activated while the other electrical connection lines are inactive.

9. The sensor device according to claim 8, wherein the selector circuits comprise an input side connected to the electrical connection lines of at least two shifter circuits, and an output side connected to the dedicated output terminals, respectively.

10. A sensor device, comprising: an array of photodetectors, a readout circuit connected to the array of photodetectors and providing dedicated readout paths for each photodetector in the array, respectively, further comprising at least one control terminal, an array of time-to-digital converters electrically connected to converter output terminals of the readout circuit; wherein: depending on a control signal to be applied at the at least one control terminal, the readout circuit is arranged to electrically connect through the readout paths of photodetectors of a first subarray to the converter output terminals of the readout circuit, respectively, thereby rendering the photodetectors of the first subarray active and photodetectors of a second subarray inactive, wherein: the readout circuit is arranged to shift the first subarray along the rows and/or columns by a same number of row positions and/or column positions, and the shifting involves routing the readout paths between the input terminals and the output terminals; wherein the readout circuit comprises: at least one row shifting unit arranged to shift the first subarray along the rows relative to the array of photodetectors, and/or at least one column shifting unit arranged to shift the first subarray along the columns relative to the array of photodetectors, wherein the at least one column shifting unit is connected in series with the at least one row shifting unit, a cascade of row shifting units connected in series, wherein each row shifting unit in the cascade is arranged to shift the first subarray along the rows relative to the array of photodetectors by a different number of row positions, and/or a cascade of column shifting units connected in series, wherein each column shifting unit in the cascade is arranged to shift the first subarray along the columns relative to the array of photodetectors by a different number of column positions.

11. A sensor module comprising: at least one sensor device according to claim 1, a sensor package encapsulating the at least one sensor device and optics arranged in the sensor package, wherein the first subarray of photodetectors is located in a field-of-view of the optics.

12. The sensor module according to claim 11, wherein the at least one sensor device, the sensor package and the optics are arranged as a time-of-flight sensor module.

13. An imaging system comprising: at least one sensor device according to claim 1, and a host system where the at least one sensor device is embedded in.

14. A method to operate a sensor device, the sensor device comprising an array of photodetectors, the method comprising the steps of: providing dedicated readout paths for each photodetector in the array, respectively, using a readout circuit connected to the array of photodetectors, applying a control signal to the readout circuit, depending on the control signal, electrically connecting through the readout paths of photodetectors of a first subarray to dedicated time-to-digital converters, respectively, thereby rendering the photodetectors of the first subarray active and photodetectors of a second subarray inactive, locating the first subarray in a center of the array of photodetectors in a ground configuration, and shifting the first subarray depending on the control signal along the rows and/or columns such that the first subarray is located with an offset relative to the center of the array of photodetectors in a calibrated configuration, and wherein the shifting involves routing the readout paths between input terminals and output terminals.